Abstract
Gaseous ionic alkyllead species (in the ng Pb m−3 range) are collected from air by absorption in water. After extraction into n-hexane, they are propylated or butylated and quantified by gas chromatography/electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Interference from inorganic lead compounds and aerosol-phase alkyllead compounds is entirely absent, whilst that from tetraalkyllead compounds is small and generally negligible. This method allows the unequivocal identification of gaseous ionic alkyllead species in the atmosphere.